loving others – Page 60 – Grits with Grace

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials, USA

Heroes

Posted on June 3, 2021June 2, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13

Years later, it still tugs at my heart. I’m not sure how I found my way there, but I was grateful. During my assignment in Sembach, Germany we had the opportunity to see so much. From Hitler’s hideaway called “The Eagle’s Nest” in Berchtesgaden to the windmills of Holland to the Alps of Switzerland we were constantly amazed at what was all around us. But nothing prepared me for Luxembourg.

We had some friends that we had known in our days at Moody Air Force Base in South Georgia. They received orders to Germany several months before we did. They were only a couple of hours from us so we saw each other pretty frequently. It must have been during one of our forays that we came to it—Luxembourg American Cemetery. It was one of the most hollowed sights I have ever seen.

There, in the cemetery, are 5,075 white Lasa marble crosses and stars of David. Row after row of headstones that mark the final resting place of American heroes. Each one made the ultimate sacrifice for us, for you and me, that we can live in freedom. General George Patton is buried there. Two Medal of Honor recipients are also buried there: David G. Turner and William D. McGee. Twenty-two sets of brothers lay buried side by side throughout the cemetery. Some, 371 in fact, were never found. They are simply listed as missing in action. 102 are just unknown.

This place of honor was established on December 29, 1944. Many of the soldiers died during the Battle of the Bulge…Hitler’s last push to turn the tide of the war in Germany’s favor. It failed but it came at great cost to the Allied forces. It was a harsh winter and because of the urgency of the times many were sent to fight with little or no winter gear. The desperate Germans showed little mercy to those taken prisoner. And, all this occurred just nine months, nine months, before the war ended. So many had survived D-Day and countless days of combat only to make the ultimate sacrifice months before the grand reunion with family.

Heroes. It is a word we throw around lightly these days. In a world where everyone gets a trophy we are in danger of losing the value of this incredible word. Hero. Dictionary.com defines it as “a person noted for courageous acts.” Oxford says it is a person who is admired or idealized for courage. Webster defines it as an illustrious warrior or one who shows great courage. Another place said it is a person who at great danger to themselves puts others first.

I went to Toys-R-Us one time and there they had several aisles of super hero stuff. As I turned the corner a sign caught my eye. It simply said, “Real Heroes.” Along that aisle were the soldiers and sailor figures as well as police, firemen, and other emergency responders. If I went to that aisle today it would have to include doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. Real heroes…real people putting others first at peril to themselves.

But there would be one missing. Jesus Christ, the Hero of Heaven, who willingly, who bravely, gave Himself to a Roman cross that men, women and children could be free. The cross was so horrible it was called the death of deaths. It was so horrible it was illegal to crucify a Roman citizen. And yet…He went. Why? He loved me. He loved you.

Amazingly it was not for some of us but all of us. Skin color, economic station, language, nationality, capacity to be bad or good doesn’t matter. The Bible simply says, “He came to seek and save that which was lost.” It simply says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It simply says He is not willing for any to perish but all to come home. Anyone—I like anyone. Anyone who acknowledges their need for a rescue will find one in Jesus. And this Hero not only does a meet and greet, He invites you to join His family. How about that!

So when you hear the national anthem, place your hand over your heart as a salute to those who paid the price for our freedom. When you see a veteran, thank them for his or her service and sacrifice. When you walk through a cemetery with your kids, point out the graves of the men and women who served and tell them why they are so special. And when you talk to the Hero of Heaven next time, thank Him for forgiving your sin. Thank Him for always being there. Thank Him for giving you a place to rest. And, thank Him for having this….because He does. Bro. Dewayne

Family, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Memorial Day, Military memories, Southern born, thankful, USA

Thank You, Mr. Charles

Posted on May 31, 2021May 30, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

It’s the way it ought to be. This Memorial Day weekend found my wife and I on the road again. That’s a good thing. Last year, as we all know, was a year with most travel shut down for a chunk of the year. It was almost refreshing to spend time again waiting in line as hundreds of other travelers rediscovered the freedom to travel this great land. It was busy because the COVID threat is thankfully in retreat, but it is also Memorial Day weekend…the traditional start of summer. Smile.

As we were waiting to board, the announcer person at the desk announced that the boarding process would be starting in just a few minutes. She let us know that there was going to be a “pecking” order for boarding. Those with special needs and little children were allowed to board first, followed by the people who were what they called “Sky Priority” and what I would call, “the blessed.” That group included the “First Class” folks as well as those in business class. They would all be followed by the normal people in the main cabin. But there was one more group of people who received special treatment…and boy, did they deserve it.

Right behind the people with special needs and small children came this announcement, “Those individuals on active duty in the United States Armed Forces are invited to board now.” Yup…that’s right. Delta did it right. They gave special honor to those serving their country and the reason was simple…they deserved it. And they don’t do it just on Memorial Day weekend—they do it all the time—because they deserve it all the time. Every day, but especially today, we have the opportunity to do what Delta does on every flight—honor those who are serving our country. And we can take it one step farther—we can honor those who have served. I know that is normally reserved for Veteran’s Day, but can we thank them enough for all they have done for all of us?

My wife stumbled upon a story on Facebook that struck especially close to home…literally. We contacted them and received permission to share their post. It goes like this, “When Mr. Charles & Ms. Debbie, with C.D. Ives logging company, were working on clearing trees at a job site north of Naylor in Lanier County, Georgia, between GA Highway 135 & U.S. Highway 221, Mr. Charles noticed the A-10s from Moody Air Force Base would regularly fly over where he was clearing trees; sometimes they would get so close he could easily make out the pilot in the cockpit!”

“He figured since he could see them, maybe they’d be able to see a message letting them know his appreciation for what they do, using only what he had on hand at his job site: trees! Mr. Charles positioned them to spell out “THANKS USAF,” painting them in red, white, & blue paint so they stand out a little better.” The author went on to say, “Hopefully, the pilots have been able to catch a glimpse of this “Thank You” from Mr. Charles & Ms. Debbie as they fly over!”
(credit: 05.30.21 The Georgia Photography Fanatic, https://www.facebook.com/thegeorgiaphotographyfanatic)

I can only add, how appropriate and how thoughtful.

Like I said, it strikes close to home. You see, Judy was raised right there in that South Georgia area and me, well, I spent four years stationed at Moody Air Force Base myself and yes, it was there that I met Judy and we began our life together. I am grateful that Mr. Charles took it upon himself to honor those pilots at Moody and I hope they got the message. But the question is this, “What can we do right now, today, to honor those who paid the ultimate price and for those who served or are serving?”

Well, there will be multiple opportunities. Maybe your community will have a Memorial Day service or parade today. Why not attend? Why not take your children and let them experience the honor afforded those who gave their life that we could be free? Why not visit a local cemetery and look for graves that mark the deceased as a member of the armed forces? Why not stop and say thanks to someone you know who served their country in one of the armed forces? Why not thank God for your freedom and their sacrifice? Why not make a point today to find a way to say, “Thank-you?”

One of the most powerful love verses in the Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The Book makes it clear that those who die for another or even those willing to die for others are worthy of our honor and respect. So, let’s all enjoy the time with family and friends today. Have a burger and a dog but make it a priority to remember what it is all about—honoring those who laid their life on the line that we could be free. Remembering their sacrifice and remembering the awesome love and power of our great God will also help us remember that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Military memories, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

It’s A Dippity-Do Dah Day

Posted on May 28, 2021May 25, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” 1 John 1:6

Hi Grits family. Hey, Judy and I are out of pocket today, so we are giving you the opportunity to revisit some of our favorites. So, God bless, enjoy and we will see you soon.

Dippity-do dah, dippy day, my oh my, what a wonderful day. I joined the Air Force back in 1972 and in so many ways it was a different world. At that time longer hair was still very much in vogue. It seemed the only guys with shorter haircuts were either born in the 1920’s or in the military. I was the latter.

It was also a different day in the way people viewed the military. The country was coming out of the Vietnam era and sadly many saw veterans and the active military in a dark light. I can well remember walking around town and getting the “one of those” looks. While I was never ashamed of being in the military, in fact, I was proud to serve, I did want to be cool—part of the in-crowd and short hair just wasn’t in. But you know the old saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Hello Dippity-do.

It’s funny, I don’t remember anyone else doing it nor do I remember how I started. I found this hair stuff called, “Dippity-do.” It was a gel-like product and depending on how much you applied, it would make your hair stay where you put it. So I bought a jar and slowly I let the hair on the top of my head and sides grow out. I would wakeup in the morning and put this stuff, in fact a lot of this stuff, on my hair. I would comb it kinda on top of my head and toward the back. The effect was—well, effective. The funny part is when this stuff dried out it made my hair as solid as a rock. Of course, my mom always said I had a hard head.

I found that I could have the required white-wall around my ears and have all this hair glued down to the top of my head. When I got off work, I would go take a shower, wash this stuff out and believe it or not have enough hair to totally cover my ears. I looked like any other guy in the early 1970’s. Even as I write this I’m saying, “What?” But believe me it worked. I looked like a military guy during the day and a regular off-the-street guy at night. Looking back, it was weird.

Even stranger I worked in the command section of my squadron and to show how effective my ruse was, no one said anything. It looked, and I guess was, regulation. I remember one day walking in the local mall and coming straight toward me was my squadron commander, Major Hobbs. We passed within five feet of each other and he didn’t even recognize me. Yup—G.I. Joe by day and a 70’s hipster at night. Looking back there probably was a word for it. It was probably pretty hypocritical.

The word hypocrite means to “play the part” or to “wear the mask.” It was used to describe actors in ancient Greece who were one thing on stage and another off the stage. The one thing I remember is that I always felt a certain amount of fear while doing this. There was always the “what if I get called in and don’t have time to plaster my hair down” thing. What if my commander and my first sergeant saw me and did recognize me? I knew they respected me and what would happen to that respect? It’s the feeling you get when you are one thing one time and another thing later.

Well, finally I figured it wasn’t worth it and I’ll tell you that story another time, but the bottom line is I went and got a regular haircut. Two things happened almost immediately. First, I felt free. The fear of the wrong person seeing me at the wrong time was suddenly gone. It was like a weight was taken off my shoulders. The second thing that happened was I discovered that in spite of what the culture said, I was proud to be in the Air Force and that haircut identified me as part of a special family and team. It wasn’t something to be ashamed of…it was something to be proud of. And the best part, the girl I was dating, who I later married, thought I was even cuter. Now for the funny part. I have been out of the military now for 36 years and I never, not even once, grew my hair out. I decided I like shorter hair. More than that…I decided I like being real.

So, what about you? What is it in your life where you “wear the mask?” What is it in your life where you have decided to pretend—to be something you aren’t? While we find that in every aspect of life, sadly it’s also common in the Jesus follower world. People say one thing and do another—people who act one way on Sunday and another the rest of week. If I learned anything from my Dippity-do world is that authenticity beats a plastic mask every time.

John, one of the guys who followed Jesus in the Bible, said it pretty well. He said, “If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” In other words, if we say we are one thing and really are another—we are just living a lie. It is better to be real than fake. It is better to be authentic than counterfeit. I may have fooled my commander that day but I never fool God when I choose to be one thing in public and another in private. But the one thing I love about God is that He never rejects me. He is never ashamed to call me His child. I can always rest in Him and more than that, He can handle who I am—Dippity-do and all. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

It Was Hard

Posted on May 21, 2021May 20, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18

And then I remembered…it was hard. I was looking for a picture to use in one of my Grit’s stories and that caused me to go back…to reminisce…to remember. It was 2007 and I was part of a vision trip to Niger, West Africa to check out the possibilities of our church ministering in that West Africa country. It involved an incredibly long flight which included a 12-hour layover in Casablanca, Morocco. This was new territory for all four team members and trust me it was an adventure. Perhaps my favorite, and most eye-opening part, was when I asked a coffee shop owner if he took dollars. His only response was a shrug of the shoulders that seemed to say, “What is a dollar?” Apparently, I had found a place that didn’t think America was the center of the universe.

Later that day, we continued our journey to Niger and arrived near midnight and I was sure we had somehow been diverted and landed on the moon. The landscape, the sounds, the sights, the smells and the culture were so different…and that was just the beginning. Though I had spent three years in Europe and made a journey to the Eastern European country of Bulgaria, nothing prepared me for this. Even though we were in the capital city of Niamey there was still extreme property and many dirt roads. Amazing. But that was nothing compared to “the bush.”

We were more than just on the edge of the vast, almost endless Sahara desert where the scrub bushes and sand seemed to go on forever. With the exception of our own faces, everyone there bore the signs of desert life. Faces were weathered and worn by the desert winds and feet were toughened by the grinding of the sand. And yet, the people were amazingly content. Things such as family and friendship seemed to matter more than anything western culture provided. It was eye opening.

We were in the bush for several days and every day was an adventure and every day we learned more and more about this harsh, yet beautiful place at the edge of the Sahara with all its challenges and opportunities. We slept out in the desert air, we took bucket baths because there was no running water, we lived by flashlights because there was no electricity, and we ate new and strange foods…very strange. I learned that millet was not on my favorite food list and I also learned that this southern boy could, with difficulty, go without bread.

Well, we more than survived and would return a half dozen times or so to this different part of the world before the political climate closed that door and we had to move on to another part of West Africa. That was another adventure and another story. But as I looked at those pictures and went back…reminisced…remembered, I realized, at least for me, that was a difficult trip. For one who was used to so many creature comforts, it was hard. I also looked at some pictures from another trip to the bush a couple of years later and looked into the eyes of weary westerners—tired from a long day’s ministry, loving and helping people and remembered…it was hard.

But here’s the deal. It was worth it…in fact, it was more than worth it. Those trips, those days, were some of the most memorable days we have spent on the African continent. During those days I made friendships with people and learned from them. They left their fingerprints on my life and heart and I am different today. I hope that I too left good fingerprints on their lives—good impressions of Someone much greater than me. We told Bible stories during those days and for many that was something new—something they had never heard, Someone, they had never known. I still remember how some were bewildered and some intrigued. Yes, it was worth all the hard and only eternity will tell the final impact.

Worth.The.Hard. That is not only true for trips to West Africa or other difficult places, it is true of life. You see, everyone’s journey is different, and everyone’s journey will include easy and it will include hard—and both are beneficial. The easy refreshes us like a desert oasis and the hard teaches us like a strenuous workout at the gym. If and when, we learn we need both, life takes on a different and better meaning. We stop holding on only to the easy and learn to embrace the hard and we are better.

Paul, a guy in the Bible who knew a lot about easy and hard said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” Paul learned to appreciate both sides of the coin—the refreshment of easier days and the challenge of difficult ones. How about you? Can you imagine a better outcome when the harshness of life brings profit instead of loss? I know it is a challenge and a lesson that I am still learning. But there is one lesson that is at the top of my to-do list—to remember and believe, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel, wisdom

Sweet Tea

Posted on May 20, 2021May 19, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness.” John 1:16

Sweet tea…oh yes, the drink of the south. I was raised in the deep south and both food and drink were especially important. To most southerners, including me, food was never just food, it was the great comforter—the billboard along the highway of life that said, “it’s gonna be ok.” Growing up, whenever I was sad or happy or maybe a little blue—food was my friend. And what is good food without something good to wash it down? And down south…that has to be “sweet tea.” For clarity sweet tea is not brownish, tan water with some sugar or sweetener thrown in. No, sweet tea is brewed, a southern tradition and creation, and when it is done right, well, it’s down right heavenly. When it is done wrong, you end up with sweet brown water.

Sweet tea is not like wine. I’ve heard that wine needs time to age to become fine. That is not true with southern sweet tea. You see good, sweet tea has a short life span. Some would say hours, but no true southerner would say days. If sweet tea is done right it turns to syrup overnight. Leave a pitcher in the refrigerator till the next day and it becomes a whole different animal. Good sweet tea is meant to be drank in the moment. You may well sip it, but don’t take too long.

I discovered another kind of sweet tea from another part of the world. When the folks in West Africa drink their version of sweet tea, well, it is an event. First, it is served hot and not cold. Second, it is strong…VERY strong. They brew their tea in a very small pot, with a little water, a lot of tea and over a small coal fired burner. When it comes to a strong boil, they add boatloads of sugar…and I am not kidding. They scoop and scoop and scoop some more. The end result is one of the strongest and sweetest things you can imagine. Trust me, if you weren’t diabetic before you started, you will be by the time you finish. They say their tea is sweet like life and bitter like death.

The way they present their tea is also special. The host will go to great lengths (no pun intended) to pour his or her tea from pot to cup or glass from great heights. The distance a person can pour their tea and not miss the cup is almost a matter of national pride. A famous one-liner is, “I can pour my tea from the back of a camel on a very windy day.” It is a cultural thing…it is a people thing. You see good sweet tea does that. It brings people together. Whether it is a front porch in South Georgia, or a mat spread on the sands of the Sahara, tea…sweet tea, brings people together.

Today, in a time when there seems to be so much to pull us apart, maybe we all just need to sit down and have a good glass of sweet tea. For our friends in West Africa it is just a necessity. Go see someone and tea will be offered and, tea will be shared. It builds relationships, it opens the door of communication. Maybe that is one reason why my Momma and Daddy shared a cup of coffee every day when he came home from work. Maybe that is the reason we should do the same. Often when people talk instead of yelling, things change. It is true in government and it is true in church and it is true in homes.

I’m sure there are lots of reasons why things are so fragmented today and I’m also sure that a glass of sweet tea, no matter how good, won’t solve everything. However, I do know something that might. That is a couple of teaspoons of grace. Just like sugar tames the bitterness of the tea, so grace can tame a temper or temper a difficult situation. Tempered steel is made stronger by the process of applying heat. In the same way, relationships and people are made stronger by applying grace. And we have grace to share because the Bible says that from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace.

So, when’s the last time you just sat down with a friend, or an adversary for that matter, and had some good, sweet tea mixed with a little grace? You might be surprised to learn that the gulf between the both of you is not as great as you think. It is certainly not so wide that grace can’t span the gap and trust me, no, trust Him—there is always grace enough. As always, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Nickels, Dimes and Quarters

Posted on May 19, 2021May 18, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” Proverbs 19:17

It was part generosity and part tradition. When I was growing up, Sunday meant going to church. My Momma would always make sure I had taken a bath, combed my hair, brushed my teeth (I think), had clean clothes, and had an offering. There was something about going to church and taking an offering. It almost seemed like either God would be mad if I didn’t or the people at church would think we were poor or something…which we might have been.

Now the offering wasn’t a whole lot, but it was more than the widow lady in the Bible gave. Her offering was less than a penny, but it was really everything she had. Momma gave me a quarter most times but sometimes it was a dime and on rare occasions it was a dollar. Trust me, that was a rarity. Anyway, I finally figured out that it wasn’t the amount that mattered anyway. What mattered was that Momma thought it was important and it mattered that I didn’t pocket the quarter. Jesus said something about it was more blessed to give than to receive and I’m sure Momma knew that. So anyway, I gave the quarter.

I read a story the other day about a little girl who went to church just like me. Her Momma gave her a dime and a nickel. The little girl asked, “Which one am I supposed to give?” and her Momma told her she could decide. Well, when she came home from church, her Momma asked her which one she gave, and she said she had given the nickel. When asked why she gave the nickel instead of the dime she said, “Well, the preacher said that God loves people who give cheerfully, and I was a lot happier when I gave the nickel and kept the dime.” Smile.

I know that I am still a work in progress. God started the project way back in 1975 and He’s still working today. I’ve heard it said that His work isn’t done until He takes us home to live with Him. I believe that is true. One of the areas that He is working on with me is generosity. They say that if you want to carve a duck from a block of wood you just cut off everything that doesn’t look like a duck. Well, that is what God does with us except He’s not making ducks. He is making Jesus followers. And one thing I know for sure is that Jesus was always generous. He was so generous He gave His life away on a wooden cross to pay for everyone’s sin. Now that is generosity. Now that is love.

My point isn’t that you ought to give to the church. The point is we should all learn to be generous to others. A generous life is a happy life, and a generous heart is a happy heart. In the Old Testament part of the Bible in the Book of Proverbs it says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” You know, I believe that is true. I’m also sure that the repayment may not be dollars and cents but rather a deep sense of peace and joy in our lives—and that is better—that is priceless. Remember this—God is more than willing to help you be like Jesus, but it all starts when we believe what He did and what He said. He died and came back to life and promised to forgive anyone who asked. Need a little help with that? Well, don’t worry, He’s got that too.

Bro. Dewayne

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, travel, Trials, wisdom

Lifeline

Posted on May 18, 2021May 17, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

Nahum 1:7. It was in the Bible and it was his verse. Church has always been a part of my culture. From the time I was born it seems I always found my way to a building with a steeple on top. That also means I bumped into several pastors and preachers too. Each one left a fingerprint on my life and because of that each one made a difference. Speaking of different…each one was. Different gifts, talents, and personalities, but each one made an impact. I am grateful.

When my wife Judy and I moved to Germany in 1977 for a stint overseas with the Air Force, we were fortunate to have a church not too far from where we lived and the base where I worked. It wasn’t long before we were part of that family. In fact, it wasn’t long before we were good friends with the pastor and his wife. He was a young pastor, had an infectious smile and a great personality and we hit it off right from the start. We were about five or six years different in our ages, so he was kinda like a big brother only he wasn’t very big…but his heart was.

One of the things (literally) that I liked about hanging with Steve (not his real name) was he had a new shiny, red Volkswagen sports car. It was great on curves and it was plenty fast and since Germany had lots of curves and often no speed limit on the autobahn…well, it was fun. I guess in some ways we were like a couple of teenagers.

Steve also was a Godly guy. He really tried to live his faith out. One of the things that he shared with me was his “life verse.” In case you don’t know what that is, it is a verse from that Bible that jumps off the page at you and gets stuck in your mind and heart. So, Steve’s verse came from one of those books in the Old Testament that no one can find. It is called the Book of Nahum and his verse came from chapter one, and verse seven. It goes like this, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”

It is the kind of verse that you gotta love. It is the kind of verse that can be a lifeline when the sea of life gets rough. It isn’t that the verse has any magic powers, it’s just that it contains a boatload of truth. God is good, and it isn’t that He just does good, He is good. He is like a place you can run to when things go south, and He remembers my name, your name, our names. Those are great truths when the sun is shining in life and really, great truths when the storm clouds roll in…just like it did for Steve one day.

Without warning, he learned that his marriage was over, there was another guy. It was just one of those crazy things that happen, and it broke his heart and our hearts. The bottom line, he decided it was best to head back to the states and in a short while…he was gone. I never saw him again but if by chance he reads this someday, I hope he knows there were some things that stuck with me…like his life verse. No, his verse didn’t become mine, but it stuck. God is good, God is a refuge, God knows my name.

How about you? Do you have a verse that jumped off the page one day and into your heart and life? Mine for a real long time has been Proverbs 3:5-6 but for the last several years it has had some real competition with Psalm 37:23-24. Check them out…they are both awesome scriptures. That is one thing about the Bible. Even if you’ve never taken the leap of faith to believe, and I hope you will, you will find it an incredible Book of wisdom and knowledge and who knows, if you try it, it might just leap right into your life. God is good, God is a refuge, God knows my name. It was good back in 1977, it is good today, and when I launch from here to there, it will still be good. And no matter the circumstance, no matter the deal, it reminds me that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Unkept-the Look

Posted on May 14, 2021May 13, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” Proverbs 4:23

It was unkept…but it was cool. Ok, let’s just lay it out there. I am just a tad on the old school side. I was a teenager in the late sixties and early seventies with a daddy who wasn’t fond of anything countercultural—and that included longer hair. That was phase one. Phase two was twelve years in the United States Air Force. They and my Daddy would have gotten along really well- since they weren’t fond of anything countercultural either. Phase three was being a Baptist pastor. Back in the days, Baptists were pretty much not fond of anything countercultural either. Suits and ties were the norm and facial hair was basically a no-no. So, you can probably understand that I wrestle with some of the new fashion norms. It’s not that I don’t like them—it’s just that I don’t understand some of them.

As an example, part of my morning routine is having a time with God. Part of that is watching a short video of someone speaking. This morning it was a pretty successful young pastor from somewhere. As the video began I noticed a couple of things. First, his hair had the now fashionable “unkept” look. It was like he got out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair and went to work. Again, that’s cool. Hang with me. Second, he sported the wildly popular beard stubble look. I mean, if you don’t have a stubble… you’re not ready to rumble. He had a good stubble. Hey, that’s cool. I wish the Air Force had discovered that when I was in. Again, the cool “unkept” look.

Another fashion statement with the “unkept” look are jeans with holes in them. They are crazy poplar. When I was growing up jeans with holes were tossed out and people who wore them were poor. Now, people pay big bucks to have jeans with holes. Hey, just buy a regular pair and give them four years—bam—another cool “unkept” look. And you save a few bucks. Another “unkept” look that is popular with the “we don’t own an iron” crowd is the wrinkled look. You just grab your shirt or whatever and throw it on and you are in. Again, totally cool—totally in.

I’ve even seen this in yards. There are folks who have unkept yards because they just don’t like to mow grass or trim their yards but there is another group that simply loves that look. To them unkept is “unkept—the cool kind.” To some folks an “unkept” yard is all about nature. I really liked that when I was young—my Daddy did not. It just wasn’t his thing.

So, what’s up? Well, through the years different things have come and gone. It’s just the way culture works. Things are fashionable for awhile and they move on. I know there was a time I couldn’t imagine preaching without a tie. I even said one time that I didn’t think I could preach without a tie. Now days, I usually preach with an open collar. Things change. Right now “unkept” is cool and one day it probably won’t be and I’m good with it either way. But wait.

While “unkept” is cool, fashion wise…it is not cool or healthy to like an “unkept” life. You ask, “What is that?” It is a life that is lived solely in the moment. In the sixties it was the “if it feels good, do it” thing and each decade has had its version of that thought pattern. But the bottom line is that when we live “unkept” lives there are usually consequences and regrets. I said this morning to my wife Judy that “success is not accidental, it is intentional.” That almost sounds deep. I also think that God’s peace, and joy, and happiness, and a host of other things that make life worth living aren’t accidental either…they are intentional.

For me, as a Jesus follower, that intentionality involves checking in with God on a regular basis to see what He thinks about my day…my life. For me it is a daily dose of His Book, the Bible. Trust me on this one…there is a reason why it remains one of the best-selling books of all time. The truths and teachings of Jesus are found in the second part, the New Testament, and they were groundbreaking two thousand years ago and they still are today.

Ok, so I don’t know if I will ever do the “unkept” thing or not. It took me a long time to figure out I could teach without a tie. But I do know this. When it comes to life, a “kept” life is just better—fewer consequences—fewer regrets. That is probably why the Book says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” God really wants what is best for us…He loves us that much. If you find yourself in an “unkept” mess, just remember that He is there waiting and no matter what it is, “He’s got this.”

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Remember

Posted on May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions.” Psalm 77:11

I remember when. It is a line that is heard a lot in conversation. A favorite time. A favorite trip. A favorite memory. It seems the older we get, the more we use those three words. I remember when gas was 18 cents a gallon. I remember when a Coke was 5 cents. I remember when a Whopper was 49 cents. I remember my first new car was $2,795. I remember my friend bragging that he could boil water in a paper cup and I was introduced to the microwave.

Now would be a good time to tell you that I am not 102 years old. In fact, I am, well never mind. Let’s just say not that old. The ability to remember is one of the gifts that God gave to us as humans. I can remember when I met my wife Judy–boy, was she cute. I can remember when our first daughter was born–boy, she was cute too–took after her mom. First granddaughter–yup, cute too. I remember when.

We all have those great memories. Unfortunately, we also all have those “not so great” memories. Times when we made unwise decisions that resulted in Goliath size consequences in our lives. They usually involved a split moment in time when “the want” outweighed “the wisdom” and we acted. The results were scars, broken hearts, financial disasters, and regret.

So, what do you do with this memory thing? We all can remember back before the COVID thing was a thing…when things were…normal. Want to go out and eat? Sure. Want to go shopping. Sure. Want to go on vacation? Sure. Want to go to church? Sure. Then came that long stretch when things were anything but normal. Gratefully, now, we are beginning to taste, at least, a variation of normal. But the question remains, “What do we do with yesterday? What do we do with the regrets? What do we do with yesterdays that leave us longing or weeping? What do we do with fear of the unknowns?”

Saul (aka Paul) had to deal with that. He had a long history of regrets. As a young man climbing up the corporate ladder, he made his living imprisoning people for believing in Jesus. People who followed Jesus would quake when he walked into town. It usually meant someone was going to jail. Or worse. He once stood by as a mob stoned a young man named Stephen. He nodded his approval with each sickening thud as stone met flesh.

So, what happened? He met Jesus and he was instantly and forever changed. He went from Jesus hater to Jesus follower. The only problem was people have long memories and he was a people. Every look in the polished metal mirror reminded him. Every trip to a new town carried the dread that someone would say, “Hey, isn’t that the guy?” Ever had that happen? Ever dread that happening? Well, Paul did too, and he gave us some mountain moving advice in Philippians 3:13a-14.

He wrote “This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” There you go. He says “I am not going to let my past control my present or my future”. Paul accepted one amazing deal. Grace. God had forgiven him of all his messes in the past and he finally made the decision to live in grace rather than regret.

So, as we continue our journey through these days of a new different, we can long for the old days, or we can live in gratitude and grace. As memories of mistakes the size of Everest sneak their way into our present, we can sink or we can swim in His grace. As we look in the mirror, we can see what might have been or believe what God says is. The author of Psalm 77 said, “I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.”

You need to know and believe that He’s pretty keen on you. He’s not ashamed or afraid to call you His. There is never a hint of regret for His decision to let you in the family. Hey, believe that. Rest in that. He’s got you. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Mother's Day, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Mama and Her Day

Posted on May 7, 2021May 6, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25

The older I get the more precious the memories become. This Sunday homes across America will be observing Mother’s Day. While I always assumed that Hallmark or Russell Stover’s came up with the idea, apparently, I was wrong. It turns out that Mother’s Day as we know it, began in the early 1900s. A woman named Anna Jarvis started a campaign for an official holiday honoring mothers in 1905, the year her own mother died. The first larger-scale celebration of the holiday was in 1908, when Jarvis held a public memorial for her mother in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia.

Over the next few years, Jarvis pushed to have the holiday officially recognized as it was celebrated in more and more states across America. Finally, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making Mother’s Day an official holiday, to take place the second Sunday of May. Well, whether it was Hallmark’s idea or Anna Jarvis, it certainly was a winner. The bottom line is when God gave the childbearing and a chunk of childrearing to Eve instead of Adam, He did a good thing. If it had been left up to the guys, the population of the world would probably be 53 and without a mother’s love and influence…things just wouldn’t be the same. Mothers are change makers.

Something that I have come to realize is that Mother’s Day is bigger than those who give physical birth to someone. While that is so important, let’s not stop there. It is even bigger than those who welcomed a child through adoption, and it exceeds those who foster children. Mothering includes all the women who have poured their lives into the lives of others. It could be a caring school teacher, a loving church member, or the neighbor down the street who cares. Mother’s Day is a big deal and rightfully so.

And then of course, and guys this is for you, don’t forget to honor the mother of your children. She deserves a prize for marrying and living with you. I know in my life, as much as my Daddy played a role in raising me, Mama outshined him. In so many ways, she was my hero. I only wish I could have seen it more clearly then. Time and again she was there to nurse, guide, prod, and yes- admonish me, on my journey to becoming a man.

I remember the time I was so sick, and she held me gently in her lap, in the middle of the night, till my fever broke or my tummy settled, and I could fall to sleep. I remember the time that a couple of bullies from junior high were going to plummet me. I was outgunned and outnumbered until Mama stepped up and stepped in. I remember in second grade I forgot an important assignment and Mrs. Webb had everyone convinced that they would stay in second grade forever it they didn’t turn it in. Yup, it was Mama who stopped her world to save mine.

I remember when I had a new pair of jeans, a rare gift, and while I was horseback riding, I was shoved into a tree by the horse and ripped a huge hole in one leg. Now days it would be fashionable—then it was an embarrassment. Somehow, someway, she managed to fix it. Oh, and I remember hundreds of suppers and dozens of pies and homemade fruitcake with grandma’s recipe. And on and on it would go. Everyday something said, “I love you.” Oh, and for the record, just like your mama, my Mama wasn’t perfect, but she sure had a way of saying, “I love you.” She raised eight kids and I got the privilege of being last and, though no one would admit it, her favorite.

The Bible says that if all the things that Jesus did were written down the whole world couldn’t hold the books. Well, that would be an exaggeration for any mama, but I do know this. If I could remember just half of all that my Mama did for me, for our family, well this story would be a whole lot longer. Mama went to heaven when I was only 24 years old and she never met any of my children but hopefully as we trust Jesus, like she did, God will remedy that…one day. Until then, I want to say, “Thank you, Mama” for always being there. Thank you Judy, for being an incredible wife, mother to our children, and MaMa to our grandchildren. And finally, to all you ladies who have poured your lives into the lives of others, thanks for making a difference. Thanks for never giving up and always believing, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne